The accident that changed everything
by written4U
Summary: When Katniss got up for work that morning she never imagined that she would see Petta Mellark much less bring him home with her. Authors note: I'm sorry the format is so weird. I can't fix it. I hope you like it so far.


This is a modern day story about how Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark met and feel in love.

Katniss' day had started like any other day. She got up took a shower and got ready for her 12 hr shift at the hospital she's worked at for the Past four years. Nothing could have prepared her for what this day was going to bring.  
On her way to work she got a call on her cell that's she needed to hurry and get there because there had a been a 20 car pile up on the highway. Apparently a semi truck had turned over and caused a massive accident. There were several traumas coming in and they had declared a state of emergency at the hospital.

Katniss couldn't believe her eyes when she walked in, there were people everywhere. People on stretchers in the hall and in wheelchairs. Her fellow nurses running from room to room trying to assist the doctors in any way they could. Katniss spotted Prim in one room and that's what pulled her out of her state of shock. Prim was also a nurse and had been working nights for three or four months now. She shoved her coat and bag under the desk and went to find out what she needed to be doing.  
In triage room three there was a man with a six inch gash across his forehead. He obviously needed stitches but would have to wait for a doctor to become available. So she bandaged his head as best as she could and went to help the next person.  
In this room was a little girl with what appeared to be a broken arm. She also would have to wait for x-ray to confirm that before anything could be done. Her mother was with her and seemed to fine. She was mostly concerned about her daughter. Katniss knew them from her neighbor that was nicknamed The Seam because its the poorer part of town. They are Hazelle and Posy Hawthorne. Gale, Hazell's son, and Katniss had been good friends until he moved away to college. She had only seen him a couple of times since he moved apparently he'd met a girl in Florida when he was on vacation and fell in love with her. They got married about six months ago. Katniss assured them someone would be in as soon as possible and left the room.  
As she was about to go into the next room someone yelled at her to check on the man in room sixteen. He had hit his head pretty bad and he was complaining of nausea. She grabbed a couple of wash clothes and made her way to room sixteen. When she entered the room she was caught off guard by who was in there. It was the baker's son Peeta and he was alone. She thought he was at school in New York majoring Art or something like that. She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sounds of retching. She immediately went to him and held the bucket for him and wiped his neck with the cold wash cloth. He never actually threw up but just a lot of dry heaving. Peeta looked bad. He had a gash that had already been stitched and the beginning of a bruise right above his right eye. His leg was also wrapped up and his hair was matted with blood. He laid his head back and closed his eyes. When he opened them again moments later Katniss could tell that he was nauseous from the pain meds and not from hitting his head.  
She had always thought he was a very handsome guy. In high school she'd had a slight crush on him but never said anything cause they weren't in the same circle. She thought he would never be interested in someone like her. He had the nicest blue eyes she could ever remember seeing. He was also very kind and friendly to everyone. She had never seen him not smiling until today.  
He asked her if he could have some water, so she grabbed a cup and poured some water and gave it to him. She told him to take little drinks until the nausea faded. She could tell he was scared and she told him she wouldn't leave until someone from his family got there to stay with him. Peeta looked at her with his sad blue eyes and said that noone would be coming. He explained to her that his parents weren't really speaking to him and his brothers Rye and Wheaten weren't here. They are in school in Boston. She asked him why his parents weren't speaking to him and he explained that his mother thought his art degree was a waste of time and money and his father just went along with whatever she said. He told her that he had come home for the two weeks he had off for fall break to talk to them and try and mend things. His mother wouldn't listen and his dad wouldn't back him up. So he was on his way to the airport when he was unfortunate enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He told her that he didn't even have a place to stay when they let him leave the hospital. He didn't have the money for a hotel cause He'd spent most of his money on the airfare to fly home. That's why he was flying back to school to see if he could pick up some hours at the coffee shop where he worked on campus.  
Katniss felt so sorry for Peeta and the way his family Had treated him. She knew his mother was a bitter woman but she never would have believed that Mr. Mellark would ever treat his son like that. He seemed like such a nice man. She and Prim had always been treated so kindly by him when they would go into the bakery.  
Peeta turned to look at her and for the first time in a long time she felt that spark of what she felt in school. She wasn't sure what made her do it but she told him that he could stay with her and Prim until he was well enough to fly. To see the shocked look on his faced you would have thought she'd told him she was gonna give him a kidney or something. She just smiled at him and told him she would be back in a bit to check on him. She told him to rest and went to make herself useful.  
She literally ran into Prim when she walked out of Peeta's room. Prim had been looking for her because Dr. Abernathy needed her assistance in another room. Prim told her that the patient had been stuck in his car for two hours and was just brought in with severe internally bleeding. He needed surgery right away. Katniss was Dr. Abernathy's favorite and he didn't like working with anyone else. So as she and Prim made their way to the room. Katniss filled Prim in on the situation with Peeta. Prim just gave her that look and told her it was fine. That Peeta could have her room and she would sleep in Katniss' room with her or on the couch. Prim was always selfless like that and Katniss felt very proud to be her sister.  
Dr. Abernathy was washing up when Katniss got to the OR. He said that he was gonna have to do exploratory surgery to find out where this man was bleeding from. Which who Katniss was shocked to learn was Madge's father Mayor Undersea. Madge and Katniss had been best friends since they had been in diapers. She wondered if Madge knew what had happened. Her best friend was away at school in London on a fashion scholarship. Her mother had died when they were about fourteen so her dad was all she had left. The surgery for Madge's dad took two hours but Dr. Abernathy had stopped the bleeding was certain he was gonna be good as new. This made Katniss feel so much better. She needed to get in touch with Madge as soon as possible and let her know what had happened. She went to get her cell to call Madge when Effie, her boss, walked up to her and told her that things were calming down now. Effie knew who Katniss was calling and told Katniss to take a break. She had always like Effie. She was fair and just an all around good boss.  
Katniss took her break to call Madge. She took it better then Katniss expected. Madge was very calm and just said she would catch the first flight home. She made Katniss promise to call of there was any change in her father. Madge told her how much she loved her and thanked her for calling. When Katniss hung up with Madge she went to check on Peeta. He had been moved into a holding bed to free up the room he was in for someone more critical. When she peeked around the curtain he was fast asleep. She stood there and arched him sleep for a while,made sure he had water and was warm then went back to work.  
Prim had been sent home with everyone who hadn't been scheduled or had stayed from night shift. She only had four hours left of her shift but she was completely worn out. She's not used to working in emergency room settings. She's works on the oncology floor and only on occasion does she work as hard as she has today. Even when she worked in surgery she didn't have days like today.  
Peeta was released any an hour before her shift ended so Effie told her she would cover for her so she could take Peeta home. When they got to her house Prim was passed out on the couch. There was a note taped to the tv saying that she had changed her sheets and prepared her bed for Peeta and for them not to wake her up. Katniss and Peeta both laughed and Katniss showed Peeta what would be his room for the next week and a half. After she got him settled Katniss went to her own room to take a shower. She had just gotten out of the shower when she hears a knock on her bedroom door. When she answers Peeta is standing there with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Katniss thought he looked adorable and kinda child like. He explained that he was hungry. He wanted to order a pizza but didn't have a phone and couldn't find a house phone. She told him they didn't have one just their cell's. she went to her purse and got hers for him to use. He asked her if she was hungry and if she wanted to share one with him. He didn't have much money but he could pay for a pizza after all she'd done for him. All Katniss could think about is how great this next week and a half is gonna be.


End file.
